


She taught me to listen alright

by VanityNaylor



Series: Vanity Fest [3]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: AU, F/F, School, parents evening, teacher
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-28 20:02:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16248851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VanityNaylor/pseuds/VanityNaylor
Summary: Vanity Fest Day 3 - Alternative Universe.





	She taught me to listen alright

**Author's Note:**

> We love a teacher AU. We do. Noah is in year 10 here, so we can presume he has just begun his GCSEs...

‘Right who’s next?’ Charity groaned. They were halfway through what was shaping up to be an absolutely terrible parent’s evening. With every appointment, Noah was slipping further and further down his seat, and Charity’s eyes were getting wider and wider.  
‘There’s only one left.’ Noah mumbled, head down, hands in pockets.  
‘Then we can get out of this hell hole and you can start grovelling.’ She lightly pushed the boy in the shoulder as he guided her towards the final table. Upon seeing the person occupying the other side of the desk it was as if Charity immediately stood taller. They took a seat nearby, waiting for the teacher to finish up her current interview, and from this position Charity continued to stare.

‘What subject is this?’ She whispered out of the side of her mouth.  
‘Biology.’ Noah answered, scrolling through his phone. Charity arched an eyebrow as she observed. Blonde hair pulled in to a neat ponytail, strikingly blue but kind eyes, and a hideous or cute yellow cardigan depending on your point of view. Charity was jolted from her thoughts when the teacher rose from her seat to shake the hands of the two adults she was currently in discussion with. Charity nudged Noah with her elbow.  
‘Put your phone away. We’re up.’ She said, standing up abruptly, making her way towards the now half empty table.

‘Ah Noah! Brilliant. Take a seat.’ The small blonde lady greeted the pair warmly, gesturing for Noah to sit down. ‘I’m Miss Woodfield, Noah’s biology teacher. You must be Mrs Dingle!’ As she introduced herself, she extended a hand for Charity to shake. Glancing sideways to her son, Charity shook the hand.  
‘Actually it’s Miss Dingle. But I’d prefer Charity if I’m honest.’ Charity noticed a slight emotion pass through the teacher’s eyes at this, but it was too fleeting to name.  
‘Of course Charity. If Noah promises not to start calling me by my first name in class, I’m Vanessa for the next five minutes.’ She grinned wickedly and sent a wink in Noah’s direction. Charity’s eyes widened as she watched her son send a rueful smile back towards the teacher. She then recalled the reason for her quickly fading bad mood.

‘Right let’s get this over with. Bunking off here too? Never handing in homework?’ Charity sighed, asking the teacher across the table to confirm her assumptions as her eyes became tired once more.  
‘Bunking off? Quite the contrary. Noah here has 100% attendance to my lessons.’ Vanessa sounded almost scandalised as she spoke. ‘He’s an excellent student, with a clear natural flare for biological sciences.’ The smile returned to the teacher’s face.  
‘Really?’  
‘Yep.’ Vanessa nodded. ‘In fact, he just scored 96% on his latest practice paper. To be performing this well at such an early point in the course I’d put good money on him achieving the top grade when exam season rolls around next year.’ She passed over the record of Noah’s latest tests, and watched the pride exuberate from his clearly thrilled mother as she read.

‘Noah mate this is amazing!’  
The boy in question shrugged his shoulders as a blush appeared on his cheeks.  
‘No it’s not.’  
‘Don’t be modest Noah. I’ve been teaching here for four years now, and never has a student’s natural ability in biology jumped out at me as much as it has done here.’  
‘I guess I like finding out how things work, and like the reasons behind why we are the way we are…’ He admitted quietly, a subtle hint of defensiveness in his voice.  
Charity was in awe at the way Vanessa was with her son. She respected him and listened to him. Showing more interest into his academic success than all the other teachers put together. Her body language was completely different too, relaxed shoulders, elbows resting on the desk so she could lean forwards engaging both Charity and Noah in conversation. Charity felt herself leaning in to mirror the other woman’s position as she continued to talk to Noah.

‘Noah what do you want to do once you leave education?’  
‘I dunno really. Haven’t given it much thought. Probably get a job somewhere or something.’ He shrugged again, readjusting his seating position slightly.  
‘Have you ever thought about going to university?’ Vanessa asked, looking him directly in the eye.  
‘Don’t you have to be dead clever to do that?’  
‘Noah, you are.’ The teacher smiled, as the blush on Noah’s cheeks grew and his eye line dropped to the floor.  
‘You hear that kid?’ Charity punched him lightly in the shoulder. ‘You’re dead clever. Little Miss Sunshine reckons you’ve got what it takes.’ She teased, winking at the smiling teacher, confirming her comment was made only in jest.  
‘But.’ Vanessa exhaled as her face grew serious. ‘I know you’ve not been applying yourself in the way should in your other subjects.’ 

Charity had to hand it to the woman. She had the concerned, disappointed mother voice down to a tee. What surprised her however, was instead of sitting up and putting on his Dingle armour to fight his corner, Noah nodded slightly, in agreement.  
‘None of the other teachers give me a chance miss. They saw the name Dingle in year 7 and wrote me off. You’re the only one who didn’t treat me any different from the other kids.’  
‘I’m really sorry you’ve been made to feel that way Noah. I can see it must have been really difficult for you.’ Vanessa seemed genuine as she apologised on behalf of the teaching staff that clearly couldn’t give a damn about anyone with the name Dingle. ‘However, you deserve to go to University. You’re far too intelligent to miss out on the opportunity to further your education. To get to that stage though, you need good grades. I know if you’re performing this well in biology then your natural intelligence is more than enough to get you that far providing you actually do the work and try.’  
‘I guess.’  
‘Look, I’ll do you a deal. If you start trying in your other lessons and there’s an improvement in your grades all around, I’ll get you some university prospectuses to look at.’ She held out her hand for him to shake in agreement. ‘Deal?’  
‘Deal.’ Noah nodded as he shook the hand. 

‘Do you have any questions for me at all?’ Vanessa asked the pair.  
‘Noah mate, you go on out to the car, I just want to ask a bit more about the whole Uni process alright?’ Charity tried to sound casual, but she wasn’t very successful, as Noah gave her an incredibly odd look as he stood to leave. Apparently subtlety was not Charity’s forte. Once he walked out of earshot, Charity turned back to the other blonde lady. ‘Thank you.’  
‘No need to thank me Miss Dingle, I’m just doing my job.’ It was Vanessa’s turn to look embarrassed, as she explained her behaviour away as if it was nothing.  
‘Charity.’  
‘Charity.’ Vanessa nodded, correcting herself.

‘What you did there, the level of interest you showed in him was more than he’s had from any teacher his entire life. Don’t sit there saying it’s just part of your job, because none of the others are this kind.’ Charity folded her arms on the table as she leaned in.  
‘Well they should be. Every single child deserves the chance to learn, without reputation getting in the way.’  
‘You’re not like other teachers Little Miss Sunshine.’ Charity shook her head sadly.  
‘Vanessa.’  
‘Vanessa.’ Charity rolled her eyes. ‘God if I’d had a teacher like you at school….’ Her eyes wandered, getting lost in some memory from decades ago.  
‘I’m sorry you didn’t.’  
‘Me too Vanessa. Me too.’ 

They sat staring at each other for a moment, Vanessa only now noticing just how smart Charity looked in her grey pantsuit, hair immaculately curled.  
‘What is it you do Charity? If you don’t mind me asking that is.’  
‘I’m a landlady actually. The Woolpack.’  
Vanessa didn’t miss the spark in the taller woman’s eyes, and the shift in her posture as she said this. It was clear that the Woolpack was Charity’s pride and joy.  
‘The Woolpack? In Emmerdale?’ Vanessa asked.  
‘The very same.’  
‘My sister lives in the village, I’ve passed the pub a few times but never been in.’ Vanessa explained, unable to hide the smile that lit up her face as she realised the link they had.  
‘Well you’ll have to pop in sometime. Maybe quell my fears about my boy going off to University.’ Charity offered shyly.  
‘I might just hold you to that.’  
‘Deal?’ It was Charity who offered her hand this time.  
‘Deal.’ They linked hands once more, lingering slightly longer than necessary.  
‘Right I better go get Noah out of this dump.’ Charity said, rising from her seat. ‘Oops sorry, I mean school.’  
‘Hey you won’t hear me arguing. Just don’t tell the management yeah?’ Vanessa chuckled lightly. ‘Noah is an absolute credit to you Charity. You should be incredibly proud of your boy.’  
‘I am.’ Charity confirmed. ‘See you later Little Miss Sunshine.’ She winked. Waving as she left.


End file.
